Interbrand ranking: German car manufacturers lose a fifth of their brand value - these are the most valuable brands in the world

Dusseldorf. When it comes to brand value, the entertainment industry has overtaken the auto industry. This is the result of an evaluation of the 100 most valuable global brands by the Interbrand consultancy, which is available exclusively to Handelsblatt. While the value of numerous automobile brands fell by around a fifth compared to the previous year, the entertainment industry grew significantly. In addition, artificial intelligence also shifts the ranking.

The most valuable brand remains Apple. Brand value increased by 9 percent to $515 billion.

“The ranking shows a certain polarization,” says Nina Oswald, Managing Director for Central and Eastern Europe at Interbrand. The tech and entertainment industries are growing rapidly due to developments around artificial intelligence. "Other sectors cannot follow the structural restructuring so quickly. The automotive sector, for example, is under pressure overall."

Nvidia again with record growth

The biggest winner, like last year, is Nvidia. In the 2025 evaluation, the company's value had increased by 116 percent; this year it is still 71 percent. According to Interbrand, the brand is now worth $74 billion. Overall, the top 100 brands increased in value by 8.1 percent this year, twice as much as last year. The total value is $3.8 trillion.

However, according to Interbrand, technology companies are growing in sales faster than they are building an emotional connection with their customers. Even in phases of dynamic growth, investments must be made in brand development.

Interbrand evaluates the value of a brand based on three criteria: the financial performance of the products or services, the role of the brand in consumers' purchasing decisions and the performance compared to direct competitors.

The automotive industry: Significant slump for German brands

The automotive category has shrunk by around $57 billion in brand value in twelve months. “The established automotive brands in Europe are suffering from the complexity of large-scale transformation,” says Interbrand expert Oswald. Investments in electrification and digital transformation are challenging.

It may come as a surprise that the electric pioneer Tesla suffered the biggest drop in value (-38 percent). Innovations like the Cybercab have generated a lot of attention, but that doesn't necessarily lead to commercial success or brand strength.

The German car brands Volkswagen (-23 percent), Mercedes (-19 percent), Audi (-19 percent), BMW (-18 percent) and Porsche (-17 percent) also suffered an above-average decline in brand value.

Toyota remains the most valuable car brand, although it also suffered a loss of 20 percent. On the other hand, the Chinese brand BYD was able to increase (plus five percent). “The challenger brands are gaining growth because they are better able to combine innovation with a distinctive brand promise,” says Oswald.

The entertainment industry: new business models, better customer relationships

Global entertainment brands made strong gains this year, replacing the automotive sector as the second most valuable industry. The industry gained more than twelve percent. “Entertainment brands have significantly expanded their business model,” explains Oswald. The diversification of content and revenue sources has enabled entertainment brands to grow beyond their core business.

Netflix (plus 22 percent) is now also a platform for live events and sports, and YouTube has established itself as a contact point for everything from podcasts to television. Spotify grew the most (plus 38 percent). “In recent years, the company has built a platform that goes far beyond the area of ​​music,” says Oswald. Podcasts, audio books and AI features helped the platform strengthen the relationship with its customers. “Spotify has become an integral part of millions of people’s everyday lives,” says Oswald.

The luxury industry: Hermès wins, Gucci loses drastically

A great deal of polarization can be seen within the luxury segment. While Hermès increases by eleven percent and replaces Louis Vuitton as the most valuable luxury brand, Louis Vuitton (-7 percent), Prada (-15 percent) and, most dramatically, Gucci (-31 percent) fall significantly. The brand is suffering from significantly reduced customer demand and weak performance in key markets.

“Brands that create value through consistent brand development outperform those that have previously relied on tradition, size and dynamism,” says Oswald. Chanel, Cartier and Tiffany & Co. were able to increase.